A team of Oregon State University engineering students, under the guidance of Knife River’s Prestress Division in Harrisburg, Pa.,

A team of Oregon State University engineering students, under the guidance of Knife Riverís Prestress Division in Harrisburg, Pa., won the 2009 Precast/Prestressed Concrete Instituteís Engineering Student Design Big Beam Competition.

Knife Riverís Prestress Chief Engineer and OSU Faculty Advisor, Keith Kaufman, said student teams must work with a PCI producer member to build a precast concrete beam with a maximum length of 17 feet. Each beam is tested and prizes are awarded for best performance in various areas including most efficient design and highest load capacity.

ìThis competition is an excellent test of skill and knowledge for engineering students, plus it allows them a solid hands-on demonstration of the prestress/precast industry capabilities,î Kaufman said.

As a PCI producer member, Knife River has been a sponsor for eight years and helped a team win the national competition in 2004. Knife River Prestress engineers, Dusty Andrews, Jordan Pelphrey, and Steven Walker, are all former PCI Big Beam contestants.